Trolley-wire clamp or fastening device.



G. A. MEAD 6: F. S. DENNEEN. TROLLEY WIRE CLAMP 0R FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19,1909.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

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KTNTTEE STATE PATENT @FFKQE.

GEORGE A. MEAD AND FRANCIS S. DENNEEN, 0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TROLLEY-WIRE CLAMP OR FASTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatenteolDec. 9, 1913.

Application filed July 19, 1909. Serial N 0. 508,367.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. MEAD and FRANCIS S. DENNEEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Tire Clamps or Fastening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps or fastening devices for trolley or conductor wires and the like, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved simple, durable and eflicient device of this character for holding and grasping the conductor wire and one which may be readily applied and secured in position and as readily removed.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating the embodiment of the invention, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of an improved clamp of this character shown applied to a supporting member for catenary construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clamp. Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing the clamp as applied to the supporting member for span wire construction. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44c of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the clamp comprises a body portion 10, which is preferably yoke-shaped or hollow having inclined walls 11 on the interior thereof and the extremities of these walls are connected by end walls 12. This yokeshaped member may be of any desired length according to the length of clamp, and is provided with an aperture or opening 13 extending therethrough which opening is preferably of a substantially large diameter.

Projecting through the opening 13 in the body portion 10 is a member having a stem 14: of a diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of the opening 13 and this stem 14 may be of any desired length. The jaws 15 of the clamp may be of any de- '17 in the form of a member or a rod, is

provided, which extends through the projection 16 and also the stem 14:, which latter is adapted to stand between the centermost projections on the jaws and is itself pivoted to the jaws. The sides of the yokeshaped member are preferably of a size to engage the jaws of the clamp for substantially their entire depth. The stem serves as a support to which the aws are pivotally connected and the jaws are mounted for pivotal movement with respect to each other.

The upper portion of the stem 14 is pref erably enlarged as at 18 and is of a diameter only slightly smaller than the diameter of the opening 13 in the body portion 10. This portion 18 of the stem is provided with peripheral threads 19, upon which is threaded a collar 20, preferably in the form of a nut, which is provided with an angular periphery adapted to be engaged by a suitable wrench. The nut or collar 20 is of a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the opening 13 in the body portion 10, so that the latter will be held against displacement with respect to the stem and the jaws 15. The portion 18 of the stem is also preferably provided with a circumferential flange 21 to prevent displacement of the nut or collar 20 and the portion 18 is also provided with a recess 22 opening through the top thereof which is preferably screw-threaded.

The jaws 15 of the clamp are adapted to stand astride of the conductor wire 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and when placed in position the body portion 10 will rest upon the aws. The nut or collar 20 is then adjusted or moved upon the portion 18 toward the jaws 15 and during this adjustment the body portion 10 will be forced. downwardly when the clamp is held in an upright position so that the inclined walls of the body portion will engage and force the jaws 15 toward each other to firmly clamp the wire, the degree of pressure of the jaws on the wire being regulated by the degree of adjustment of the nut 20. As the nut or collar 20 is adjusted, the jaws will be drawn into the body portion 10 so that the extremities of the jaws will stand within the end walls 12 on the yoke-shaped member, which tends to hold the parts against longitudinal displacement with respect to each other. These end walls 12 also serve as a means for preventing displacement of the pintle 17, which latter passes loosely through the extensions 16 on the jaws 15 and also through the stem 14.

The clamp may be supported in any desired or suitable manner and in the exemplification of the invention shown in Fig. 1 the clamp is shown as used in catenary construction and is supported by means of a member 24, which latter is provided with a threaded extremity 25 adapted to be seated in the threaded socket 22. The other extremity of the member 24 is also threaded as at 26 and is adjustably seated in the body portion 27 of a hanger comprising oppositely opening hook shaped portions 28 which are adapted to engage over the suspension or messenger wire 29 and when in position the member 24 is adjusted so that a portion 30 of the messenger or suspension wire will be offset between the members 28 to lock the suspension device against longitudinal displacement with respect to the messenger wire.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the clamp is shown as applied to a support for use with a span wire 31 and comprises a support 32 having projecting portions 33 in the form of arms adapted to engage the span wire 31 in the ordinary and well known manner. This support is provided with a stem 34 extending therefrom and which is threaded on its free extremity and the extremity is adapted to be seated in the threaded recess 22 in the portion 18 of the stem 14:.

With this improved construction of clamp, it will be apparent that the conductor wire 23 may be readily released by adjusting the collar or nut 20 on the portion 18 of the stem 14 and after being adjusted the body portion 10 may be raised to permit the jaws 15 of the clamp to be separated. When the clamp is applied to the wire, it will be apparent that the wire may be inserted between the jaws 15 with one hand and the nut or collar 20 readily adjusted with theother hand.

In order that the invention might be fully understood, the details of the foregoing embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, but

What is claimed as new is- 1. A clamp for overhead electric conduc-.

tors comprising a pair of separate clamp aws, a support-mg member to which the jaws are separately pivoted on an axis ex-' tending transversely of said member, a housing for the jaws and pivot through which the supporting member loosely with each other passes, and means adjustable on the support and movable toward the jaws for forcing said housing and jaws into engagement with each other for closing the aw s.

2. A clampv for electric conductors comprising a pair of pivotally connected clamping jaws, a support to which the jaws are pivoted on an axis extending transversely thereof, a housing through which the support passes, the clamping edges only of the jaws protruding from the housing, and means adjustable on the support and movable toward the jaws for forcing the lions ing and jaws into engagement with each other for closing the jaws.

prising a pair of clamping jaws, a supporting member to which the jaws are pivoted on an axis extending transversely of the member, a housing through which the supporting member loosely passes, and means adjustable on the support and movable toward the jaws for forcing said housing and jaws into engagement with each other for closing the jaws, and a separate suspension means for the clamp removably connected only with the said supporting member.

a. A wire clamp comprising a pair of pivoted clamping jaws, a support for the jaws, a member through which the support loosely passes, means adjustable on the support and movable toward the jaws for forcing the member and jaws into engagement to close the jaws, said'jaws extending laterally on both sides port, and said member engagin the jaws throughout the entire length and below the pivot thereof.

5. A wire clamp comprising a pair of separate pivoted clamping jaws, a support ing member to which the jaws are pivoted on an axis extending transversely of the member, a housing for the jaws and pivot separate from and loosely surrounding the support, said housing standing astride. of and being supported by the jaws and having faces engaging the jaws, said faces converging toward a line below the jaws, and an of the sup- 16 adjustable member on the support for forcp the pin is inserted, the supporting member being provided with an opening and threaded inside and out, a housing formed with a perforation to receive the support and with inclined depending sides to engage the jaws between the point of support and clamping surface, and acollar threaded and adjustable on the outside of the supporting member and movable in engagement with the housing to press the latter in contact with the clamping jaws.

7. A wire clamp comprising a support formed with a depending perforated lug, a threaded recess and with a threaded outer surface having a flange at the upper edge of greater diameter than the threaded portion, a housing with an opening therein of a size to receive the support, a threaded collar on the support between the flange and the housing, a pair of clamping jaws with perforated projections arranged alternately with respect to each other, and a pivot pin passing through the perforations of the jaw members and through the perforation of the support, the edges of the housing engaging the outer surface of the jaws between the axis of pivotal support and the clamping faces of the jaws.

8. A wire supporting clamp comprising a housing greater in length than width with a central perforation, a supporting member threaded on the outside having an upwardly opening recess and a depending perforated lug extending through the opening into the housing and a flange at the upper oustide edge, a collar adjustable on the outside threaded portion to engage the housing, a pair of clamping jaws less in length than the length of the housing and having perforated lugs alternately disposed with respect to each of the jaw members, a pivot pin passing through the perforated lugs of the jaws and through the perforated depending portion of the support, the outer faces of the jaws engaging the lower edges of the housing to force them into clamping engagement when the collar is forced against the housing, and a separate supporting pin threaded into the upwardly opening recess of the support.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 14th day of July A. D. 1909.

GEORGE A. MEAD. FRANCIS S. DENNEEN. Witnesses:

C. C. BECK, J. H. LARRIMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

